Thus says the Lord, I brought this people out of bondage, and I gave them my commandments by my servants the prophets; whom they would not hear, but despised my counsels.
The mother that bore them says to them, Go your way, you children; for I am a widow and forsaken.
I brought you up with gladness; but with sorrow and heaviness have I lost you: for you have sinned before the Lord your God, and done that thing that is evil before him.
But what shall I now do to you? I am a widow and forsaken: go your way, O my children, and ask mercy of the Lord.
As for me, O father, I call upon you for a witness over the mother of these children, which would not keep my covenant,
That you bring them to confusion, and their mother to plunder, that there may be no offspring of them.
Let them be scattered abroad among the pagans, let their names be put out of the earth: for they have despised my covenant.
Woe be to you, Assur, you that hide the unrighteous in you! O you wicked people, remember what I did to Sodom and Gomorrha;
Whose land lies in clods of pitch and heaps of ashes: even so also will I do to them that hear me not, says the Almighty Lord.
Thus says the Lord to Esdras, Tell my people that I will give them the kingdom of Jerusalem, which I would have given to Israel.
Their glory also will I take to me, and give these the everlasting tabernacles, which I had prepared for them.
They shall have the tree of life for an ointment of sweet savor; they shall neither labor, nor be weary.
Go, and you shall receive: pray for few days to you, that they may be shortened: the kingdom is already prepared for you: watch.
Take heaven and earth to witness; for I have broken the evil in pieces, and created the good: for I live, says the Lord.
Mother, embrace your children, and bring them up with gladness, make their feet as fast as a pillar: for I have chosen you, says the Lord.
And those that are dead will I raise up again from their places, and bring them out of the graves: for I have known my name in Israel.
Fear not, you mother of the children: for I have chosen you, says the Lord.
For your help will I send my servants Esay and Jeremiah, after whose counsel I have sanctified and prepared for you twelve trees laden with various fruits,
And as many fountains flowing with milk and honey, and seven mighty mountains, whereupon there grow roses and lilies, whereby I will fill your children with joy.
Do right to the widow, judge for the fatherless, give to the poor, defend the orphan, clothe the naked,
Heal the broken and the weak, laugh not a lame man to scorn, defend the maimed, and let the blind man come into the sight of my clearness.
Keep the old and young within your walls.
Wherever you find the dead, take them and bury them, and I will give you the first place in my resurrection.
Remain still, O my people, and take your rest, for your quietness shall come.
Nourish your children, O you good nurse; establish their feet.
As for the servants whom I have given you, there shall not one of them perish; for I will require them from among your number.
Be not weary: for when the day of trouble and heaviness comes, others shall weep and be sorrowful, but you shall be merry and have abundance.
The pagans shall envy you, but they shall be able to do nothing against you, says the Lord.
My hands shall cover you, so that your children shall not see hell.
Be joyful, O you mother, with your children; for I will deliver you, says the Lord.
Remember your children that sleep, for I shall bring them out of the sides of the earth, and show mercy to them: for I am merciful, says the Lord Almighty.
Embrace your children until I come and show mercy to them: for my wells run over, and my grace shall not fail.
I Esdras received a charge of the Lord upon the mount Oreb, that I should go to Israel; but when I came to them, they set me at nothing, and despised the commandment of the Lord.
And therefore I say to you, O you pagans, that hear and understand, look for your Shepherd, he shall give you everlasting rest; for he is near at hand, that shall come in the end of the world.
Be ready to the reward of the kingdom, for the everlasting light shall shine upon you for evermore.
Flee the shadow of this world, receive the joyfulness of your glory: I testify my Savior openly.
O receive the gift that is given you, and be glad, giving thanks to him that has called you to the heavenly kingdom.
Arise up and stand, see the number of those that are sealed in the feast of the Lord;
Which are departed from the shadow of the world, and have received glorious garments of the Lord.
Take your number, O Zion, and shut up those of yours that are clothed in white, which have fulfilled the law of the Lord.
The number of your children, whom you longed for, is fulfilled: beg the power of the Lord, that your people, which have been called from the beginning, may be hallowed.
I Esdras saw upon the mount Zion a great people, whom I could not number, and they all praised the Lord with songs.
And in the midst of them there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon every one of their heads he set crowns, and was more exalted; which I marveled at greatly.
So I asked the angel, and said, Sir, what are these?
He answered and said to me, These be they that have put off the mortal clothing, and put on the immortal, and have confessed the name of God: now are they crowned, and receive palms.
Then said I to the angel, What young person is it that crowns them, and gives them palms in their hands?
So he answered and said to me, It is the Son of God, whom they have confessed in the world. Then began I greatly to commend them that stood so stiffly for the name of the Lord.
Then the angel said to me, Go your way, and tell my people what manner of things, and how great wonders of the Lord your God, you have seen.